Ask a Tradesman

We have brought a maisonette that needs a rewire, its in a block of 4, we have the ground floor.

it has concrete floor and ceilings. so do we batton and plasterboard or get a cutter. have had various quotes and suggestions but everyone telling us to do something different...?

Asked by: ameyb
1st Aug 2011

4 Answers

generally speaking , a flat of this type would have conduit encased within the walls and ceiling so if you require a straight forward like for like rewire then the new cables should be able to be pulled through using the old cable and if additional points are required then this could be achieved by chasing the wall from the nearest socket . Another option could be to use specially designed trunking which looks like skirting which contains all your cables . Do some research into the many options available before you agree to the methods you have mentioned .

One thing I would certainly not do is use a cutter or chasing tool on the concrete roof. It would open up another can of worms as in you could possibly be weakening the integrity of the building. Before doing so you would have to take structral advice ( costly ! ) and possibly add extra insurance - simply not worth the hassle.
I would recomend getting an electrician who knows how to rewire this property type correctly and cost effictively. There are ways and means around the situation so you do not have to baton every roof. You can pick up the existing conduits where possible and utilise the top section of every wall to run your cables around your routes ( max 150 mm from ceiling ).
The best way is to get a good electrician around and design your installation to be cost effictive.

If you need any further help / advice pelase do not hesitate to contact me.